Farsens Introduces RFID-enabled Light Detector

Shadow ambient light detector

Farsens, a Spanish developer of RFID sensors, has announced the Shadow, a passive light-detecting RFID tag that lets companies detect tagged assets' exposure to light or darkness. The Shadow tag was created for automation applications in which tagged assets' exposure to light changes throughout the process, Farsens explains. Monitoring these changes enables a user to program a variety of procedures based on process time and status, as well as the detector data.

The Shadow—made with Farsens' ANDY100 proprietary RFID integrated circuit—is compatible with commercial EPC Gen 2 ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID readers, and is designed for companies that want to develop their own sensors. It features a Low Power Radio Solutions (LPRS) N5AC-501085 light-dependent resistor (LDR), 96 bits of Electronic Product Code (EPC) memory, a 32-bit Tag Identifier (TID) and a password-protected kill command. Built in a PCB format, the Shadow is available in a variety of antenna design and sizes, depending on the specific application.

The tag can be embedded in a variety of materials, such as plastics or concrete—even in sealed places where light exposure is scarce—and can also be encapsulated in an IP 67 or IP 68 casing for usage in harsh environments. It has a communication range is up to 1.5 meters (4.9 feet). Operating temperatures range from -30 degrees to +85 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees to +185 degrees Fahrenheit). Evaluation kits are available.

The OCS validates that Neology tags comply with baseline and applied interoperability across equipment vendors and facilities, according to Neology, and can withstand conditions of the toll environment. All three tags certified by OCS are based on RFID ICs provided by NXP Semiconductors. Neology's 6C Dual Mode Switch tag is designed for electronic toll collection (ETC) and high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane applications, Neology reports, and the dual-mode feature enables users to switch between two separate accounts, including a standard ETC account versus an HOT account, or a personal account versus a business account. The 6C Windshield Sticker features proprietary security features via the incorporation of custom programming, printing and optional holographic elements.